Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (Disney's Hollywood Studios)

[Nick]

So Star Wars land will feature two signature attractions, one like Spider-Man (but with trackless ride vehicles like Antartica,) and one like the screen portions of Forbidden Journey? Is that right?

I do realize they were originally working with Kuka to produce a ride similar to this for Harry Potter before JK and WB took the deal to Universal. And I realize Disney Paris has had the Rat ride with a trackless ride system and screens that feels like Spider-Man already... but can't help think these attractions will endlessly be compared to Universal once they open. And once again Disney will look reactionary instead of revolutionary.

(Sorry, not usually my style to be the negative one on the forums, but the more I hear about these ride systems, the more concerned I get for SWL and meeting guest expectations.)

Many of Disney's rides over the coming years won't even just be compared to Universal, but to Disney's own rides.

Disney is starting to catch screen fever. They also have 3 LPS rides lined up to open within a year of each other if the Mickey attraction happens (SW Battle ride & Rat being the other two).

 

[Mad Dog]

Many of Disney's rides over the coming years won't even just be compared to Universal, but to Disney's own rides.

Disney is starting to catch screen fever. They also have 3 LPS rides lined up to open within a year of each other if the Mickey attraction happens (SW Battle ride & Rat being the other two).

Kind of ironic. Just as Universal appears to be prepared to move away from screens as the be all for all of it's attractions, Disney goes full steam ahead embracing the concept. So, who's playing follow the leader?

 

[quinnmac000]

Kind of ironic. Just as Universal appears to be prepared to move away from screens as the be all for all of it's attractions, Disney goes full steam ahead embracing the concept. So, who's playing follow the leader?

Disney right now:

 

[Disneyhead]

The Battle Zone attraction won't be too similar to Spider-man.

 

[Nick]

Kind of ironic. Just as Universal appears to be prepared to move away from screens as the be all for all of it's attractions, Disney goes full steam ahead embracing the concept. So, who's playing follow the leader?

I don't think anyone is playing follow the leader if we're being honest.

Universal is in desperate need of more practical rides and Disney already has a plethora of those, but nothing that can even come close to matching up with Spider-Man, FJ or even Transformers when it comes to that type of ride.

 

[Alicia]

Many of Disney's rides over the coming years won't even just be compared to Universal, but to Disney's own rides.

Disney is starting to catch screen fever. They also have 3 LPS rides lined up to open within a year of each other if the Mickey attraction happens (SW Battle ride & Rat being the other two).

They really should have embraced the tech for the new Pirates ride at Shanghai. Instead of really going at it, it appears the Pandora boat ride will be Pirates-Light, with much smaller screens on walls behind foreground, less story, less ride time, no mult-levels (no drop which is fine for a slow moving relaxing ride,) and very little, well, excitement. Pirates Shanghai has believably sinking ships, explosions, incredible tall full wall screen-based backdrops (without 3D glasses.) Not to mention the new controlled speed/direction boat system that doesn't rely on water flow. This was a Disney version of screens I like, as it feels very different from Universal, and very Disney.

 

[Mad Dog]

So Star Wars land will feature two signature attractions, one like Spider-Man (but with trackless ride vehicles like Antartica,) and one like the screen portions of Forbidden Journey? Is that right?

I do realize they were originally working with Kuka to produce a ride similar to this for Harry Potter before JK and WB took the deal to Universal. And I realize Disney Paris has had the Rat ride with a trackless ride system and screens that feels like Spider-Man already... but can't help think these attractions will endlessly be compared to Universal once they open. And once again Disney will look reactionary instead of revolutionary.

(Sorry, not usually my style to be the negative one on the forums, but the more I hear about these ride systems, the more concerned I get for SWL and meeting guest expectations.)

If Universal is able to get the DC area & Nintendo open within a year or so of Star Wars, there's certainly going to be a huge dialogue in the theme park world about this.

 

[Alicia]

The Battle Zone attraction won't be too similar to Spider-man.

I like hearing that. But in Orlando, I'm sure any ride that involves a moving ride vehicle going between screens and real sets will always be compared to Spider-Man, since it was first.

Will it be in 3D like Ratatouille? Or not, like Pirates Shanghai?

 

[JungleSkip]

Many of Disney's rides over the coming years won't even just be compared to Universal, but to Disney's own rides.

Disney is starting to catch screen fever. They also have 3 LPS rides lined up to open within a year of each other if the Mickey attraction happens (SW Battle ride & Rat being the other two).

I will be very, very surprised if the Rat ride comes to WDW

 

[Disneyhead]

I like hearing that. But in Orlando, I'm sure any ride that involves a moving ride vehicle going between screens and real sets will always be compared to Spider-Man, since it was first.

Will it be in 3D like Ratatouille? Or not, like Pirates Shanghai?

I don't believe that it is 3D, and while it will have screens, I wouldn't call it screen "oriented". More like screen supplemented.

 

[Alicia]

I will be very, very surprised if the Rat ride comes to WDW

Every day in the state of epcot thread it's announced that it's been greenlit. I believe it has been greenlit 876 times now.

 

[Nick]

I will be very, very surprised if the Rat ride comes to WDW

hmm. I'd be very surprised if it doesn't, but we'll see.

Every day in the state of epcot thread it's announced that it's been greenlit. I believe it has been greenlit 876 times now.

Outside of the Coco overlay to Three Caballeros, I consider Rat the most likely thing to happen over the next few years.

 

[Alicia]

I don't believe that it is 3D, and while it will have screens, I wouldn't call it screen "oriented". More like screen supplemented.

Yay! That's what I was hoping for. More like Pirates Shanghai, less like Ratatouille!

 

[JungleSkip]

hmm. I'd be very surprised if it doesn't, but we'll see.

I honestly don't see the benefit to it. Ratatouille isn't all that popular of a film, it's a decade old, and the ride itself wasn't all that well received. The only positive is that the R&D is done and it's probably a relatively cheap thing to clone.

Otherwise, there's bigger things to be done at Epcot, and I don't see this being high on the list.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I do realize they were originally working with Kuka to produce a ride similar to this for Harry Potter before JK and WB took the deal to Universal.

Jumping in to say there's no evidence Disney was developing a kuka based attraction for Potter. Kuka was used for Potter since similar plans for a Van Helsing ride were proposed for that area in IoA. The "JKR and WB took the Hogsmeade plans to UOR" is a BS story Disney fans tell themselves to make it ok to like Hogsmeade/make fun of UC.

 

[Alicia]

Jumping in to say there's no evidence Disney was developing a kuka based attraction for Potter. Kuka was used for Potter since similar plans for a Van Helsing ride were proposed for that area in IoA. The "JKR and WB took the Hogsmeade plans to UOR" is a BS story Disney fans tell themselves to make it ok to like Hogsmeade/make fun of UC.

That's actually really good to know. I like to have a good handle on (actual) theme park history. Thanks for the info.

 

[Nick]

I honestly don't see the benefit to it. Ratatouille isn't all that popular of a film, it's a decade old, and the ride itself wasn't all that well received. The only positive is that the R&D is done and it's probably a relatively cheap thing to clone.

Otherwise, there's bigger things to be done at Epcot, and I don't see this being high on the list.

The R&D being done and being cheap are exactly why i've heard it's happening. Tokyo's BATB was the other consideration, but that would take longer.

Also, Rat is the highest rated ride by guests at the DLP Resort. They want to give people another reason to go to Epcot once SWL is open so that they lessen the burden on DHS, even if only slightly.

This is the SWL thread though so let's bring this back around to topic. Epcot future development discussion can be had over here: The State of Epcot | Page 42 | Orlando United Forums

 

[Parkscope Joe]

That's actually really good to know. I like to have a good handle on (actual) theme park history. Thanks for the info.

Also the logic of it makes no sense; you're telling me Disney didn't have NDAs up, down, and to the left of these plans before JKR and WB saw them? Disney would have sued if their ideas were taken, let alone fully developed plans (or my favorite, the designs and drawings themselves.)

 

[Alicia]

Jumping in to say there's no evidence Disney was developing a kuka based attraction for Potter. Kuka was used for Potter since similar plans for a Van Helsing ride were proposed for that area in IoA. The "JKR and WB took the Hogsmeade plans to UOR" is a BS story Disney fans tell themselves to make it ok to like Hogsmeade/make fun of UC.

I tracked down the source of my (incorrect) information to this article by the one, Jim Hill, back in 2007:

That's perhaps the most ironic part of this entire tale. I mean, here was the Mouse -- almost five years ago now -- trying to use Kuka arm technology to create a "Harry Potter" -themed attraction. So what happens? Not only does Disney lose the theme park rights to J.K. Rowling's characters to Universal, but then Universal goes on to lock up the theme park rights to Kuka's robotic arm technology for the next 10 years.
​

Monday MouseWatch : WDI hopes that its "Living Character Initiative" will make up for losing "Harry Potter" as well as Kuka's robotic arm technology

 

[Joel]

Also the logic of it makes no sense; you're telling me Disney didn't have NDAs up, down, and to the left of these plans before JKR and WB saw them? Disney would have sued if their ideas were taken, let alone fully developed plans (or my favorite, the designs and drawings themselves.)